putnam



B. PUTNAM.

MACHINE GUN.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I, 1917.-

Patented Mar. 16, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

A jm N Q .aN w. mw Nw B. PUTNAM.

MACHINE GUN.

APPLICATION 'FILED MAY 7. 1917. Lz, Patented Mur. 16,1920.

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B. PUTNAM.

MACHINE GUN. APPLICATION FILED MAY 7, 1917 Patented Mar. 16, 1920. j 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3. 4

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. and useful Machine-Gun, of which Umso sra'rns PATENT ormonia BURLEIGH PUTNAM, F PASADNA, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOB TO J T. THOMPSON, 0F

1 WASHINGTON, DISTRICTDE COLUMBIA.

MACHINE-GUN.

Patented vMar. 16, A19920.

Mumien mea may 7, 1917. serial No. 167,123.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, B'URLEIGH PUTNAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pasadena, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new the fol lowing is a specification.

My invention relates to guns, being more particularly a gun which automatically fires a number of cartridges. In common forms of machine guns a number of cartridges `are fed into the gun on a belt or clip, the cartridges being individually removed from the belt or clip and introduced into the barrel of the gun, closed, the cartridge red, the breech opened,

, and the empty shell extracted. These operations require a considerable number of parts spring into ring position.-

having handle tbe'cartridge, whereas in the gun I herein ,des,ribed'a number of cartridges are fed into the gun on a carrier and successively firing the cartridges without removing the To do this I cartridges from the carrier. use a stationary breech block, across the face of which the cartridges are passed, and a movable barrel which reciprocates to successively receive the', cartridges and re the AThe barrel has two movements, a rear- "Ward or loading and firing movement, and a forward or unloading movement. The rearward movement is caused by `a coiled which elastically moves the barrel rearwardly, the open breech of the barrel movingover and receiving'the cartridge to be red. When the cartridge is iired, the gas pressure, due to the explosion of the cartridge, moves the barrel forwardly, thereby uncovering theired shell and operating the carrier to bring the next loaded cartridge The ob]Y ect of the invention herein claimed is toprovide improved means for lubricating cartridges and more particularly for lubricat'ng 'cartridges'as they are being fed ilustrative purposes o into firing position in a gun of the character referred to. f

@ther objects and advantages will appear hereinafter from the following specification: Referring to the drajvlvings, which are for yr 1 rel is a side elevation of a gun embodymga form oi' my invention;

after which the breech 1 is a great number of movements toA 5 5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged rear view of the gun; Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional plan view of the gun on line 7-7 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the clip used for holding the cartridges;

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view on line 9-9 of Fig. 2, showing the locking means for the clip in locked position; and

Fig. 10 is a' view similar to Fig. 9,-showing the locking means in open position.

In the form shown, 15 designates a frame consisting of a top member 16, a lower member 17, a front wall 18, and a rear wall 19, the rear wall, 19, constituting a breech block which is fixed in the frame in anysuitab'le manner, as by screws 20.A

21 designates a bridge or impact member secured'in theframe intermediate its length, the bottom portion of the Fridge being slotted, as indicated at 22, t'o receive a cam plate 23 slidably mounted on the lower member 17 of -the frame. The rear end of the cam plate 23 extends throu h a slot 24 formed in the lower portion of t e breech block 19, being freely slidable therethrough for the purpose hereinafter described. 25 designates a reduced or neck portionof the plate 23, thereby forming shoulders 27 at the rear of the same, and terminating at its forward end in shoulders 28. f j

Slidably mounted in the wall-18 is a gun barrel 30. having a bore 31 terminating 'in the rear end of the barrelin a cartridge chamber 32v Formed on thebarrel 30 is a thrust block 33 which is slidably mounted between the upper member 16 and the lower member 17, being provided with a slot 34 which slidably engages the neck 25ct the outer face of the thrust block 33, the spring a coiled spring, the, outerA the inner face of the .fit tlghtly therein and 35 extending through an opening 37 formed in the bridge 21. f Y

40 designates a clip or carrier for holding the cartridges, and in the form shown is provided with a series of openings 4l arranged nin horizontal arrangement, which openings 41' are of proper diameter to receive the body of the cartridge 42. The cartridges are placed in therespective openings 41 in the clip, with the head 43 of the cartridge against therear face of the clip, the openin s 41 being of such diameter that when t e cartridges are .inserted therein, in the'position above'described, the cartridges project outwardly from the face of the clip. Arranged above and below the openings 41 in the clip 40 are' two rows of holes. 45 and 46, respectively, the holes 45 being adaptedto receive a de tent or lookin device hereinafter described, and the lowerioles 46 being arranged tore- A 'celve a feeding devicefhereinafter described.

' ed a detent pin 61, the rear end of which is* `pivotally connected at 62 y means of a springv66,

Formed in the-breech block 19, and extending approximately at right angles to the axis of the gun, are two extensions 50 and 51 which together form a table 52 across which the clips with thecartridges are fed to the gun. The face of the breech block 19 is pro'- vided with a longitudinal recess 53 forming a guide for the clips as -they pass through' the gun, the central portion of the guide being provided with a groove 54 to accommodate the heads 43 of the cartridges. For the purpose of preventing lateral movement of the clips, while passingithrough the guide 53, a lip or flange 55 is formed at the upper edge s ofthe guide extending downwardly over the upper edge of the clip, and the lower portion of the guide 53 extends below the face of the table 52. The breech block 19 isv provided with a perforation 60 extending therethrough in which is slidably mountto an arm 63- pivotally mounted on a pin 64, the pin 64 being supported in ears 65 formed or secured'to the upper wall 16 ofthe gun. The detent pin 61, as shown in Fig. 9 extends into one of .the holes 45 in the upper portion of the clip and-is elastically' held in such position by such elastic forward Inovement being limited by an abutment 67 formed on the lower end of the arm 63, which abutment engages the rear end of the 61 is moved out of the cam plate 23, as shown 1n Fig. 10, when the cam plate moves rearwardly, as hereinl after described.

v The table 52 is provided with a pocket or recess 70, as shown in Fig. 7, in'which is slidably mounted a feed bar 71, the feed bar 71 having mounted therein a plurality of dogs 72, each dog beings pivotally mounted on pins 73 mounted onthe The feed bar is ymoved back and forth to feed the clips through the gun by the following mechanism.

75 designates a l 71 which pin secured to the feed bar extends downwardly i-nto acam slot 76 formed vin the head 26 of the cam plate 23, the lcam tion 77 at itsl fo slot having a straight porrward end and a #straight portion 78 at its rear end, which portions are connected by means of an inclined portion 79. The movement of the cam plate, as y hereinafter described, causes the feed bar 71 to reciprocate tra pocket 70. For the forward end same are fed through the provided secured nsversely of the gun in the the purpose of supporting of the cartridges, as the gun, a plate 80 is in any suitable manner to the upper face of the table 52, the plate at its' forward end o form a leaf or su being bent upwardly to pport 8 designates a bore in the breech block 19 in the same axis as the bore 31 of the gun barrel, the` forward end mlnating in an head 87 of the fir ed. VThe body is shouldered, as an abutment for ofthe bore 85 teraperture 86 in which the ing pin is slidinglymountportion 88 of the firing pin indicated at 89, forminlg.

ai' coiled spring 90 whic elastically presses the firing pin rearwardly out of contact and out of the line of travel of the heads 43f of the cartridges. The firing pin is moved forward to fire the respective cartridges by means of a rock arm 92 pivotally mounted on a pin 93, which pin is mounted upon the breech block 19. Thelower end 94 of i the path of the thel rock arm 92l extends into rear end o r head 26 of the cam plate 23 and is` operated by such cam plate, as hereina cartridges by ward..

In the present form simple arrangement which vconsists o mounted `at 101 lower wall 17, the head fter described, to fire the moving theiring pin for- I have shown a of trigger mechanism f a trigger 100 pivotally to the under side of the 102 of the trigger extending upwardly through an openlng 103 in the wall 17 into the path of the thrust block 33, so that the thrust block ma held in forward position by means o the head 102, the

means of a sprin According to t herein 'claimed I head 102 being elastically held in the path of the thrust block by g member 104. X

he object of the invention associate with the means hereinbefore described for` feedingv a carl. tridge holder through the gun sp as succes sively to present cartridges to the firing chamber, means for lubricating the cartridges before they enter the firing chamber, the. lubrcati ng means preferably comprising a `wick or other lubricant-carrying tridges before they enter the firing chamber together with a lubricant reservoir communicating With the wick or thev like..

Thus in the drawings 11() designates a wick supported between ears 111- on the frame of the gun, as indicated in Fig. 2, an oil cup 112 being provided for feeding o il to the wick. The wick is so arranged as to lie in the path of the cartridges as they are fed into firing position, the object being to lubricate the exterior of the cartridges, therebyr reducing the friction of the cartridges in the barrel and facilitating the operation of the movement of the barrel with relation to the cartridges.

It is to be understood that While I have shown and described my invention. 'as mounted within an open frame, I do not limit myself to such construction, it being understood that the frame may be made in various forms and that the manner of' mounting the barrel in the frame may be accomplished in various ways without departing from the spirit of my invention.

The gun. .is operated in the following manner:

Setting the barrel in the position shown in Fig. 1 may be done by 4pushing forward on the thrust block and the barrel so moved in case of misfire, but it is'understood that various constructions may be made for accomplishing this result without departing from the spirit of my invention. Assuming that a clip has been placed in the gun,

the first cartridge in the clip being directly behind the barrel, and inthe axial line, of the barrel, the barrel moved forward against the action of the"`spring 35 into the position shown in Fig. 1, with the trigger in engagement with the thrust block', the operation of ring is commenced by pulling the trigger and releasing the barrel. The bar rel when so, released moves rearwardly until the rear end of .the barrel strikes the Vcartridge clip, as shown in-Fig. 4. As the f barrel. moves rearwardly, the thrust block 33 strikes the shoulders 27 on the cam plate 23. As such plate 23 is in engagement with the pin 75 on the feed bar 71, the feed bar is moved in the direction of the 'arrow shown .in Fig. 7 to engage the holes 46 in the clip for moving or the outward movement of the barrel. As the cam rplate 23 approaches the end of its rearward stroke it engages the rock arm 92, moving such arm from the position shown in Fig. 3 to the. position shown in Fig. 4, driving the firing pin 40 forward andfiring thecartridge. v The cam plate 23 on its rearward movement also performs the fimction of unlocking the clip', so that the clip is eeding the clip upon.

Upon the firingof a cartridge, as'just de.

scribed, th'e explosion of the charge in the cartridge, and the friction of the bullet pasS- ing throughthe bore of the barrel, cause the barrel to move forwardly against the action of the spring 35, which it is free to do due vto the fact that the breech block 19 is fixed to the frame of the gun, the clip 4Q being against the face of the breech block, the rear end of the barrel being against the face of the clip,- and the head of the cartridge being rigidly supportedagainst the breech block.-

After the barrel has moved forwardly, so that the rear end of the barrel is beyond the end of the cartridge fired, the thrustv block 33 strikes the shoulders 28 on the cam plate 23 and moves the cam plate outwardly or forwardly. ,This forward movement of the cam plate 23 permits vthe coiled spring 90 on the firing pin to move the firing pin rearwardly out of engagement with the head of the cartridge fired, and as soon as the firing pin has been so removed, the cam slot 76 in the cam plate 23 being in engagement with the pin 7 5 on the feed'bar 71 moves the feed bar 'inwardly so that-the next unfired cartridge inthe clip is brought into position -in alinement or inthe axis of the bore of the barrel in position to be fired uponthe return of the barrel. Immediately upon the first movement of the clip in feeding, the detent pin 61 is released by the cam plate and forcedinto the holes 45 by the spring 66 as the clip. advances, engaging thefforward side of the holes and arresting the movement of the clip as the firing position A1s p reached. Just before entering -the barrel each cartridge comes in.l contact with the wick .110 and is lubricated thereby. Should the trlgger remain depressed, the barrel will A move forwardly until the 'leather buffer 36.

mannerx above described, which operation or reciprocating movement of the barrel will continue as long as the trigger is depressed' and cartridges remain unred.

If, however, 1t 1s desired to fire a single cartridge, the trigger may b e released immchamber, and means associated with said means for lubricating the cartridgesbefore they enter the ring chamber.

2. A gun comprlsing means for feeding` a cartridge clip therethrough so as successively to present cartridges to the firing chamber, a'nd means disposed adjacent the path of said clip for lubricating the cartridges while being advanced by the clip.

3. A gun comprising means for feeding an elongate cartridge clip transversely therethrough withthe cartridge disposed transverselyofthe clip so as successively to present the cartridges to the firing chamber, and means disposedadjacent the path of said vclip for lubricating the cartridges before they enter the firing chamber.

4. A gun. comprising means for feeding a cartridge holder therethrough so as succes-v sively to present cartridges to the firing chamber, and a lubricant carrying body disi posed adjacent the path of the cartridges in transit to the firing chamber so as to wipe over the lcartridges and apply lubricant thereto.

5. A gun comprising means for feeding cartridges to the firing chamber, and an elongate lubricating device having one of its longitudinal ends projectin into the path of the cartridges in translt to the firing chamber so as to apply lubricant to the cartridges, said device being fieXible so as to wipe over the cartridges. v

6. A gun comprising means for feeding cartridges to the firing chamber, and an elongate wick having its lower end arranged to depend into the path of the cartridges in transit to the firing chamber for applying lubricant thereto'.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 24th day of Amr-1917. 1

BURLEIGH PUTNAM. 

